


Sweater Weather

by BladedFeather



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst and Feels, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Fix-It, Fluff, Hand waving, M/M, Pure sap, Steve Feels, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 14:38:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6961039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BladedFeather/pseuds/BladedFeather
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve couldn't bring himself to do much else but sit in the infirmary, and wait.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweater Weather

**Author's Note:**

> **Spoilers, if you didn't see that, THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD.**
> 
>  
> 
> I saw CW on the 6th, and just. I still haven't stopped crying about my sons. Bucky actually spoke real life words, I'm in awe.
> 
> Anyway. This happened after I got home from the movie.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Wakanda was just as beautiful at night, as it was during the day. Through and through, Steve had Brooklyn in his blood, would always love the grime and grit of his city over anything else. Despite this, Wakanda was undeniably magnificent, and Steve longed to have a moment to draw it. 

Though Steve couldn't bring himself to do much else but sit in the infirmary, and wait.

After the whirlwind of days that had followed a tense two-year period of searching, it felt like they had nothing but time.

No one would dare attack Wakanda.

Especially considering no one _really_ knew where they were.

The New Avengers, as Scott had sarcastically dubbed them, were content to explore the wonders that the largely secretive nation possessed.

Steve assumed it was the wonder that Wakanda inspired that kept his team from mentioning it.

Sam gave him searching looks on the rare occasions he actually decided to sleep in his bed, but the exhaustion he must've seen in Steve's eyes kept him at bay.

It wouldn't for long.

Bucky's face looked peaceful in sleep, like it always had.

Steve is left to stare hopelessly at him from the other side of a glass case.

But Bucky deserved to make his own choices, and so Steve had to choke down years of guilt and grief, because he owed that to Bucky.

It doesn't stop him spending all day in the infirmary, trying to look busy, but mostly just waiting.

The doctors were some of the best in the world, but no one knew exactly what they had done to Bucky, exactly how they had programmed him.

It ached. Having him so close and yet so far away. 

It continued this way, until Steve received a surprising message.

Or visitor, really.

The sky lit brilliantly with the colors of the rainbow, and suddenly Thor was standing in Wakanda's courtyard.

It took some explaining and catching up, but eventually Steve got the whole story, as did Thor, who had apparently been kept up on events by his friend Heimdall.

When Steve led him to the infirmary, Thor looked into the glass case for a long moment, eyes searching. When he finally turned his gaze back to Steve, he was somber.

"The trauma that has been wrought may be reversible, but it comes at a terrible risk."

Steve didn't even hesitate.

Bucky would probably be pissed when he found out, but well.

Steve couldn't lose him again.

Never again.

Thor nods gravely, and then returns to his homeland, retrieving the object that would hopefully bring Bucky home, finally.

So Steve goes back to the infirmary, and waits.

*

T'Challa appears late in the night, while Steve is trying to will his pencil to draw anything but the familiar lines of Bucky's face.

Appear really is the word for it too, T'Challa is silent in an extraordinary way.

The King of Wakanda greets him with a respectful nod, and a curious gaze.

Steve puts his notebook down.

For a moment, they say nothing, just stare out into the gloom through the huge picture windows.

"This man, he is precious to you."

It is not a question but Steve still nods his assent.

T'Challa watches him, and Steve can almost see the ways in which he is being deconstructed, how the King's eyes dissect him.

"Do you think he would approve, of the danger you put yourself in?"

Steve's jaw clenches involuntarily, "He deserves to make his own choices, but so do I." Looking down, Steve stares at his hands as he continues, "I have to try. What they did to him..." Steve doesn't finish his sentence, swallows down the floodgate of emotions trying to bury him beneath their tidal wave. 

With a nod T'Challa stands fluidly, apparently having gotten all of the information he wanted, and begins to leave, but pauses by the door.

"Your intentions are pure, and it is in my belief, that he will be returned to you."

Before Steve can thank him, T'Challa is gone.

*

Steve holds the cube tightly, and thinks only of Bucky. Only of how much he has suffered and of how much he deserves to have that hurt removed.

Thor is standing by, watching him with a look of concern but resignation, knowing that there is nothing he can do if it goes wrong.

T'Challa is farther away, but studying the scene all the same.

The New!Avengers are not present. Steve had not told them about his plan.

The energy of the cube brings him to his knees next to the table they have Bucky on, and there is one last surge of energy that rolls through him before there is a blinding light behind Steve's eyelids, and he passes out.

*

"You stupid motherfucker," Is the first thing that Steve hears when he opens his eyes.

Steve goes from the sleep of someone weary to the bone, sapped of all energy, to surging out of bed in approximately half a second.

Bucky's hand pushes him flat against the hospital bed again, and it isn't gentle.

There is rage in the familiar steel-blue of his eyes, and Steve can feel tears pricking at his own.

God, he thought he'd never see those eyes open again. 

Bucky just frowns at him, eyes blazing, the pressure on his chest increasing as the other man leans forward, "What the fuck, Rogers? What the fuck did you think you were doing?" Bucky is a few inches from his face, his breath fanning against Steve's cheekbones and Steve lets his eyes close for a moment, tears slipping out at the corners, and manages a watery laugh.

"M'sorry Buck. 'M so goddamn sorry Bucky. I'm so fucking sorry I-I'm I should've...-" Steve chokes on the weight of his guilt, eyes flying open to take in as much of Bucky's face as he can; alive, breathing, awake, and just cries harder.

Bucky bundles him into his chest as much as he can, his fingers running through his hair. Steve can't help crying, all of the guilt he's held onto for so long. Years of wondering what if, and more recently the guilt of knowing what Bucky went through, of how Steve wasn't there to save him.

Steve hadn't realized he'd been speaking out loud, but he was, and Bucky is shushing him gently, kissing the top of his head.

After Steve settles down, manages to breathe, Bucky presses his cheek against the top of his head and breathes out. Steve clings to the arm that is anchored across his chest and then pauses.

The arm in his hand is metal.

"Buck..." He rasps, running his fingers along the metal plates in curiosity.

Bucky's arms tighten around him, where they're curled up in the bed, Bucky half off of it. 

"You've been out for a week, Steve." Bucky goes silent, his arms pressing tighter unconsciously, "They were worried you weren't ever going to wake up." He whispers, and Steve nuzzles into Bucky's chest.

He's not sorry.

Not when he can press his head against Bucky's heart and listen to it beat.

Later, Steve finds out that the arm is vibranium, lighter than the old one by miles, and won't cause Bucky pain.

The cube worked.

They repeat the words to Bucky seven times, and Bucky just blinks at them.

Steve can't make himself let go, and so after the tests are done, they retreat back to Steve's room where they pile all of the luxurious silk blankets and pillows on the bed and hide beneath them.

Bucky cradles Steve to his chest, and Steve tries to remind himself it's real.


End file.
